Slow down signal for automobiles



June 8, 1948. cHgss ow 2,412,971

SLOW POWN SIGNAL FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed July 16, 1947 SWITCH INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented June 8, 1948 UNITED STATE S PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to a signal for automobiles and more particularly to a caution signal adapted for automatic actuation at such'time as an automobile on which it is applied slows down as preparatory to stoppin or the like.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a signal device for automobiles which will indicate a definite slowing down of the automobile and incorporating means bridging intermittent movement of'the controls of the automobile to the end that false signals are avoided.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a signal device for an automobile incorporating a delayed action mechanism insuring' accurateness of the signaling system in operation.

A still further object or the invention is the provision of a signaling device for automobiles incorporating adjustable means for varying the delayed timing action of the device.

The signal for automobiles disclosed herein comprises a system of interconnected devices operative with the controls of the automobile for visually indicating a slowing down of the automobile by illuminating caution lights. The signaling devices are so arranged and interconnected that upon the brakes of the automobile being applied, the visual caution signal is extinguished so as not to conflict with the illumination of the customary stop light signal.

The interconnected devices of the signal for automobiles provide for illuminating caution lights such as may be combined with'the direction indicating signals of the automobile only at such times as a definite slowing down action of would otherwise occur when theaccelerator pedal is momentarily released such as occurs when the automobile is being operated in traflic and continuous intermittent accelerator action is necessary.

mobile is slowing down. If the accelerator in the equipped automobile is again depressed and the slowing down cycle terminated, the caution lights are immediately extinguished. However, if the brake Pedal is depressed in applying the brakes of the equ pped automobile, the caution lights are extinguished and the red stop lights are illuminated. Thus, a motorist following an automobile equipped with the signal disclosed herein is visually advised of the slowing down of the equipped automobile suficlently in advance to avoid the danger of collision.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrange- .ment of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a rear view of a portion of an automobile equipped with the caution signal.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of the caution signal apparatus and the operating means for the same.

Figure 3 is an enlargedcross section of a portion of the apparatus illustrated in Figure 2.

By referring to the drawings and Figure 1 in particular it will be seen that a portion of an automobile it is disclosed and that upon each of the rear fenders ii thereof there is a combination taillight and stop light 12 and a combination caution and direction indicating light l3. The

taillight and stop light combination 12 are provided with red lenses and the caution and direction indicating combinations l3 are preferably provided with yellow lenses.

By referring to Figure 2 of the drawings it will be seen that a portion of the floor board of the automobile is disclosed and indicated by the numeral l4, and a brake pedal I5 is operatively The Signal for automobiles is of simple formapositioned therethrough and connected therewith tlon capable of economic manufacture and is inoperative most of the time on the automobile, thereby avoiding excessive battery drain. 'A motorist following an automobile equipped with the signal disclosed herein observes no signals until" such time as the accelerator pedal in the equipped automobile is released and a predetermined delayed action time elapses; for example, a second or two, at which time caution lights, preferably yellow, are illuminated indicating that the auto- 58 piv et 2| a conn cting rods 22. A,

so as to pivot upon a hydraulic brake actuating cylinder ii. A hydraulic stop light electric switch I! is operatively connected to the hydraulic brake cylinder l6 and a delayed action air cylinder switch I8 is connected by means of a link 19 with the brake pedal l5. An accelerator pedal 20 is also positioned on the floor board H and is operatively connected to the carburetor (not shown) of the automobile as by means of an L-shaped,

and stop light [2 will be secondary delayed action air cylinder switch 23 (similar to switch 13) is connected with one of the connecting rods 22 by means of a link' 24. In Figure 2 of the drawings the caution and direction indicating lamp i3 is. shown provided with a pair of filaments 25 and 26, respectively, and the stop light and taillight combination i2 is shown with a pair of filaments 21 and 23, respectively.

An ignition switch is illustrated in Figure 2 and indicated by the numeral 23. A battery is diagrammatically illustrated and indicated by the numeral 33. A circuit wire 3| connects the battery 33. with the ignition switch 23 and a circuit pedal 23 will be compensated for by the delayed .2: maybe seen and itwlll be observed that a comprises generally a cylindrical body member wire 32 connects the ignition switch 23 with a terminal 33 on the air cylinderswitch l8. A circuit wire 34 connects a terminal 35 on the air cylinder switch l8 with a terminates o t ondary air cylinder switch 23." A circuit wire 31 connects a terminal 33 on the secondary air cylinder switch 23 with the filament 25 which is also grounded, as indicated by the numeral 33.

As the battery 33 is grounded (as indicated by the numeral 43), an electrical circuit is connected from the battery 33 through the filament 25 of the caution signal at such times as the ignition switch 23 is closed and the brake pedal l5 and the accelerator pedal 23 are in released position. If desired, an additional control switch (not shown) may be connected in the circuit comprising the wires 32, 34 and 31 and operated by the clutch or automatic transmission mechanism of an automobile so that the said circuit is broken when the clutch of the automobile equipped is not en- 7 gaged or the automatic transmission of the autohaving an actuating piston rod 4| slidably engaging a combination adjusting valve and gland 42 which is normally held in preset position by a spring 43. A piston 44 is positioned within the cylindrical body 230! the secondary-air cylinder switch 23 and a secondary portion H of the piston rod is affixed to the piston 44 and continues therethrough and through an opening defined by an annular shoulder 45 in the cylindrical body member. A coil spring 43 is positioned between the annular shoulder 45 and the piston 44 and normally urges the piston 44- toward the adjustprojects through the opening formed by the.

annular shoulder 45) carries a contact member depressing of the accelerator pedal 23.will open the secondary air cylinder switch 23 and the sig-.

nal circuit will thereby remain open until such time as the accelerator pedal is released and for a predetermined time thereafter due to the action on the setting of the secondary air cylinder switch 23, the delayed action closing of the'secondary air cylinder switch 22 will-illuminate the caution light l3 by energizing the filament 25 therein. As the automobile continues to slow down and the brake pedal I5 is depressed as in applying the brakes to stop, the air cylinder switch 18 operates to break the caution signal circuit and extinguish the caution light l3 and simultaneously the stop light switch I! will be closed by the action in the hydraulic cylinder l6 as occasioned by depressing the brake pedal I5, and the filament 23 in the combination taillight energized and the stop light illuminated.

When the automobile is standing and the brake pedal l5 depressed, the caution lights i3 will reing the accelerating action of the automobile nor during the subsequent normal operation thereof as any momentary releasing of the accelerator '41 which is connected by a flexible wire 48 with the terminal 38 heretofore referred to. The terminal 35, heretofore referred to, extends into position adjacent the contact 41 and is provided with a secondary contact 49. It will thus be seen that the coil spring 43 normally urges the piston 44 toward the adjusting valve and gland 42 and thereby brings the contact 41 and secondary contact 49 into registry with one another and closes an electrical circuit through the terminals 36 and 38 as heretofore referred to in connection with the description of Figure 2.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that by varying the position of the contacts 41 and 49 the operation of the secondary'air cylinder switch may be reversed so that it may be connected in a different manner to the accelerator pedal 23 and the rod 4| moved inwardly of the device to close the circuit rather than outwardly thereof.

By referring again to Figure 3 of the drawings it will be seen that a port 53 communicates with the cylindrical body member 23 and more particularly with the compressed air chamber portion thereof and is preferably extended to a remote location such as, for example, on the dashboard of the equipped automobile. A simple air valve (not shown) is applied to the end of a tubular extension 5| in communication with the port 53 so as to form a readily adjustable means for varying the delayed timing action 'of the air cylinder switch. The remote positioning of the alternate adjustment means of the air cylinder switch enables the operator of the equipped automobile to vary the delayed timing action so as to correspond with his particular driving habits.

It will thus be seen that a simple delayed action air cylinder switch makes possible a practical and efiicient caution signal for an automobile as its operation in the caution signal device eliminates false signals which would otherwise occur during the normal operation of the equipped automobile and provides positive operation of trafilc signals will readily recognize and interpret the combined and interdependent caution signal and stop light action made possible by. the invention herein disclosed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A caution signal for automobiles comprising an electric light, a current source, a circuit in connection with the said light and said current source, a pair of switches in said circuit, one of the said switches operatively connected to the brake pedal oi the said automobile and the other one of the said switches operatively connected to the accelerator pedal 0! the auto-. mobile, and means for delaying the closing of the said switches.

2. A caution signal for automobiles comprising an electric light, a current source, a circuit in connection with the said light and said current source, a pair 0! switches in said circuit, one of the said switches operatively connected to the brake pedal of the said automobile and the other one or the said switches operatively connected to the accelerator pedal 01 the automobile, and means for delaying the closing of the said switches, said means comprising air cylinder and piston assemblies.

3. A caution signal for automobiles comprising an electric light, a current source, a circuit in connection with the said light and said current source, a pair of switches in said circuit,

ing an electric light, a current source. a circuit in connection with the said light and said current source, a pair oi switches in said circuit,

spring means normally urging each of the pair oi switches toward closed position, one or the said switches operatively connected to the brake pedal 01' the said automobile and the other one of the said switches operatively connected to the accelerator pedal oi the automobile, and pneumatic means for delaying the closing of the said switches.

5. A caution signal for automobiles comprising an electric light, a current source, a circuit in connection with the said light and said current source, a pair 01' switches in said circuit, spring means normally urging each of the pair of switches toward closed position, one of the said switches operatively connected to the brake pedal oi the said automobile and the other one of the said switches operatively connected to the accelerator pedal of the automobile, and adjustablepneumatic means for delaying the closing oi the said switches, said adjustable pneumatic means comprising an air cylinder and piston assembly.

JAMES D. CHESSROWN.

} REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,956,056 Bellec et a1 Apr. 24, 1934 2,096,069 Seiden Oct. 19, 1937 2,128,769 Finnell Aug. 30, 1938 2,260,680 Nelsen Oct. 28, 1941 

